InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ The Lonely Hanyou and the Affectionate Monk ❯ Listen Now The Acceptance Speech For Kagome and Inuyasha ( Chapter 5 )

[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]

: Another edition of the Lonely Hanyou and Affectionate Monk. Follow up to Keep it a Secret Kagome part 2. Its been done in wordpad because my computers a stupid ...... and I couldn't use my wordprocessor. To all the readers I love and appreciate ya, I know these things take awhile buthang in there I haven't quit on this.
Warnings: Very mild MALE/MALE PHYSICAL MATURE CONTACT, YAOI always implied. Mild Language. Miroku/Inuyasha. Disclaimer: I own the idea and I wrote the story nothing else. Seriously who wouldn;t know this stuff by now? You're an idiot if you need to see disclaimers anymore its getting tired. Anywya enjoy! -Linkin
The sky was beautiful that morning filled with a bright sun and roaming clouds. Kagome stared out of her bedroom window as she stuffed her backpack with school books. She sighed heavily closing the yellow monster up and slinging it over her back and shoulders.

It had been three days since she watched Inuyasha go into the mystic well without her. Knowing she promised to return to the fuedal era the very next day but overnight she realised she just couldn't bring herself to do it.

Knowing the truth about Inuyasha and Miroku turned out to be a lot harder to swallow than she'd expected. For the first day she wandered about the house lost in thought pretending to be ok so as not to worry her family. The second day she stayed home from school feigning stomach ache and spent the day in her room sulking. She wasn't even exactly sure why accepting this was hard for her. Shouldn't she be happy for them?

'Do I really care that much for Inuyasha that I don't want him with anyone else, not even Miroku who's one of my best friends? Am I so selfish?'

She frowned at such an awful thought and shook it away leaving her room to head off for school. Getting downstairs her mother greeted her at the front door. "There you are sweety, I was starting to worry." She felt the girls forehead briefly. "Are you feeling better this morning?"

'Hah depends on how she means.' "I'm alright mom but I have to go now or I'll be late."

"Alright dear, sure you have everything?"

"Pretty sure. I'll see ya later." She paused on her way out the door. "Oh and if Inuyasha comes for me just tell him... tell him I'm sorry and I'll head back to the past on my own as soon as I can."

"Of course dear, have a good day."

"Thanks mom, see ya later." She waved on her way out and started into a small run.

Out of nowhere her grandfather appeared by her mothers side staring out the door after the girl with disappointment on his face. "I still don't understand why she's staying here now. There are no test or exams to take."

"Oh dad you shouldn't encourage the children to stay home from school just so you can use your medical excuses." Ms. Higurashi closed the door and walked away from the brooding old man.

"Maybe... but I had a new list of ailments prepared and everything, took me all night to write it up."

"Oh," She gave a quaint laugh, "well maybe next time then." His daughter replied on her way into the kitchen.

Outside Kagome had made it to the bus station and was already on board riding to the highschool. She stood at the front having nowhere else to go because the train was so packed with business men, mothers on arrands and other kids going to the same place she was.

'Alright girl get it together. The slightest misbehavior and your friends will know somethings up. Talking about Inuyasha discreitly is one thing but I could never explain to them that my so-called lover has another lover of the same gender. They'd really freak!' She stared idly out of the large glass window at the city rushing past. 'I wonder what they're doing right now? Did they notice I haven't come back yet? Is Inuyasha even going to come for me?'

______________

Inuyasha lied beneath Miroku in submission... again. He didn't mind the pleasure he was getting from being on the bottom- who would? He did, however, have a little problem with the position. For the past few months they'd been together intimately Miroku was on top and if Inuyasha tried to reverse the situation it didn't last long. To the hanyou it seemed like Miroku was getting the better end of the deal... all the power.

Miroku was busy thrusting into Inuyasha his head resting on the side of the hanyou's neck. He was unaware of the non-activity beneath him. For a brief second Inuyasha opened his eyes staring up at the trees, a sight he'd seen many times before. Leaves or sky, or the ceiling of some cave. Sometimes it was the ceiling of an abandoned village home.

It was obvious now that he didn't have the upperhand in their relationship. Usually the hanyou would just open his mouth and complain, like he usually did when they were in battle or if somone had a different idea over what he'd suggested but now- well this was different. This was love he guessed. Even though he hadn't told the monk yet that he loved him because he still wasn't sure he did. He'd never really been in love and if he had he never acknowledged it. So telling Miroku he felt wronged in their relationship might cause trouble that he didn't want. If what they'd been doing was just for fun he would have spoke up ages ago but now there were feelings involved, the monks feelings.

The monk began tugging gently on Inuyasha's ears causing the hanyou to gasp inwardly. As much as he loved having his ears manipulated his mind was just too distracted to react as he normally would.

Inuyasha didn't want to hurt him but at the same time he questioned Miroku's feelings for him. Shouldn't their relationship be fair and equal, that's what Miroku himself said weeks ago but this didn't seem to be equal partnership to him. The same questions he'd had when he was in the future with Kagome kept coming back. He wondered just how in love Miroku really was with him, if at all. Could it all be a game, just an amorous monk trying to satisfy his own need? At that thought and the feeling of strong hands on his need, Inuyasha suddenly remembered what was going on outside of his mind and started paying attention but a little too late.

Miroku had already stopped any physical advances he'd been previously making to Inuyasha's waiting body. He pulled himself away and sat up kneeling over the other boy. "Is something wrong Inuyasha? You seem... distracted." He asked with more annoyance than general concern.

"Wrong with me? You stopped." The demon boy propped himself up on both elbows pulling his back up from the ground.

"I stopped," Leaning in a little closer almost touching noses with the golden eyed creature Miroku looked him over carefully. "because you weren't participating and correct me if I'm wrong but it takes two to do this, right?"

"Yeah well maybe I didn't feel like it right now."

"Alright then you should have said something before we started and if we'd have gotten any farther I'd be pretty upset with you about now."

"Sorry for the inconvenience." Inuyasha leaned a bit closer so this time their noses were touching.

Miroku backed away from his obviously upset partner giving Inuyasha room to move. He laughed gently before replying, "I was just kidding, forget about it. We should probably go back to the village anyway." He stood fixing himself as best he could and offered Inuyasha a hand up. Hesitantly he accepted putting his own clothing back together as well. "We'd better stop by the river first." Miroku suggested picking up his staff from its place against the nearby tree.

"Yeah." Inuyasha agreed smelling the heavy musk of their almost intimate relations. He followed suit after the other. 'Can't believe this guy. He's completely oblivious to what's going on here.'

_______________

At the high school Kagome's feet dragged as she made her way to class. 'The days barely started and I'm already ready to quit.' She mentally whined. Getting into the classroom finally the first thing she saw was her small group of friends, Yuka, Eri and Ayumi crowded around one desk... her desk. "Oh boy."

"Hey Kagome you're here!" Her friends spotted her immediately at the door.

"Hurry and sit down." They called her excitedly.

Taking a deep breath the reluctant girl trudged into the room taking her seat. "Hi guys." She greeted as cheery as her voice would manage at the moment.

"Its been awhile huh, how have you been?" Her friend Eri asked. It had been some time since she saw them last but everyone still remained the same, physically and otherwise.

"Ok I guess." Was Kagome's response.

"That's it after a long battle with stomach flu you're just o.k? Sure you feel one hundred percent today?" An over cautious Ayumi looked the girl over touching her hand to Kagome's forehead.

'Stomach flu, good one gramps, like I need my friends imagining me with my head in a toilet throwing up all day.'

"Yeah you look kind of drained but I guess that would make sense coming out of being sick." Yuka added.

"No I'm alright just tired that's all." With an extreme need to change subjects before the girls could pry any further Kagome dug around in her back pack for any books she might need for this class. "So you think I could catch up all my work in one school day?" She joked.

"Ahahaha." The two girls laughed.

"Not really Kagome its been almost a month." Eri explained, adjusting the yellow headband on her head.

"But don't worry we'll help as much as we can to get you through the day." Ayumi offered.

"Thanks, you're the best." Before anymore words could be exchanged their teacher entered the room and everyone immediately got in their rightful seats and sat quietly waiting for the man to speak. Sighing, thankful for the redirected attention from herself but also from the upcoming exhaustion of the day, Kagome slumped down in her seat wishing she could just be back in bed right now. 'Oh...'

_____________

"There you two are." Shippou announced when Inuyasha and Miroku entered Kaede's home.

"Yeah what of it?" Inuyasha replied in his usual "mess with Shippou for no real reason" tone.

"I've been waiting so we could have lunch," Shippou's little front paws gestured towards the set up of food keeping warm in clay pots near the fire. "Sango and Kaede went out into the village for water and said no eating until you guys came back."

"That was very generous of them." Miroku spoke as an off-hand thought.

"Yeah considering." Shippou mumbled.

"And what's that supposed to mean...considering?" Inuyasha mocked while making his way over to the little demon.

"You guys have been acting kinda funny lately, always disappearing and what not." The hanyou froze in his approach to assualt the little fox, after hearing Shippou speak.

"Huh?!"

"Not only that but you always eat way more than your share." Shippou continued ignoring Inuyasha's obviously worried expression. The white haired demon started at the sudden touch of his shoulder. But relaxed knowing it was only Miroku, who confirmed this by whispering into one of his ears.

"Let it go Inuyasha, I don't think Shippou or the others know anything. You'll only make them more suspicious by acting out." He pulled away from the still demon and joined Shippou down by the food. "Well shall we eat now or wait for the ladies to return?" He asked the little fox.

"I say dig in." Came his all too eager response.

Inuyasha barely heard the two conversating in the background lost in thought. 'Damnit, there he goes again ordering me around.' He looked over at the monk, who in turn smiled back once he noticed he was being watched. Inuyasha looked away feeling uncomfortable for being caught staring.

"Aren't you going to come join us Inuyasha?" Miroku asked.

The hanyou turned to the two, hands making fist, unseen from his large red sleeves. "Why don't ya quit bossin' me around? I'll do it when I feel like it okay!"

"Huh?!" Was Miroku and Shippou's in sync reply but it was Miroku who asked the question on both their minds. "What are you talking about Inuyasha?"

"Yeah. He just asked you about lunch." Shippou added.

Before the cornered demon could reply the little whicker flap of a door moved aside letting the two woman, of extreme age difference, in, back from their trip. "We got the water for tea." Sango announced taking it immediately to the still burning fire, Kaede not far behind her.

"Oh Inuyasha, Miroku, glad you could finally join us." The old woman commented upon noticing their presence.

"Yeah sorry about that, we were... busy." Miroku explained, the best he could at the moment hoping no one would question his info lacking reply.

"Not harrassing women I hope." Sango spoke quietly to herself getting nothing but a dull laugh from the known to be flirtacious monk.

"From the looks of it," Kaede began looking around with her one remaining good eye. "you weren't in the other era retreaving Kagome." Her words ended with question floating around them.

'Kagome!' Inuyasha's mind shot back into action from its brief pause.

"Yeah, what's Kagome doing anyway? We don't even know why she went home in the first place." Shippou added.

"It is strange that she would leave without giving us a reason and hasn't come back yet. Did she tell you anything Inuyasha, when you took her home." Sango asked but the dog eared demon was in his own world.

'I've been so mixed up with Miroku and this.. relationship, I didn't even notice Kagome hadn't come back yet.' Without a second thought Inuyasha headed for the door being stopped by Miroku's voice.

"Wait Inuyasha! Where are you going?"

"Where do you think? To get Kagome." He already started for the door, Miroku jumped to his feet to follow after him.

"Wait a minute Inuyasha, what was with that outburst before?"

"It was nothing." The hanyou stopped walking, Miroku stopping beside him and tried to get a look at his face, which was hidden behind a mass of white bangs.

"Nothing, you said I've been bossing you around. What were you talking about? Is something wrong?"

Inuyasha knew this wasn't the best time to bring up his issues with the others a few feet away so he chose to lie instead. "No nothing's wrong, I don't know what I was saying I guess Shippou just had me a little riled up." Knowing that Miroku wasn't going to take that as an answer alone he went on. "Look I'm... worried about Kagome. You and I have been messing around for days and I forgot she'd been home the entire time."

"I understand if you're worried but it's no big deal, so you got distracted for awhile, is that so bad? Kagome will understand." Miroku placed comforting arms on the hanyou's shoulders but Inuyasha shrugged out of the embrace.

"See that's the problem!" He spat and the monk was taken aback. "All this distraction is keeping us from our goal, to find Naraku and get the jewel shards and you've said before we need Kagome to do that."

"Oh.." Miroku scratched nervously at the back of his neck. "So what are you saying?"

Sighing Inuyasha replied. "I'm saying maybe we need to cut it out for awhile, ya know not.... mess around so much."

Completely dumbfounded, and not quite sure what his demon friend was getting at, Miroku said what he assumed Inuyasha wanted to hear. "Yeah I guess we haven't been very attentive to the others or the task of finding more jewel shards lately." It fell quiet between the two for a moment before Inuyasha sighed heavily. Miroku looked up. "I guess you should go bring back Kagome."

"....Yeah." Without any other words or shows of affection the young demon ran off. Blue eyes watched him go until there was nothing left to look at.

"Something's bothering you Inuyasha and it's not just being distracted." Heading back towards the others inside, he ressolved in himself to find out what it was exactly as soon as possible before it ruined a relationship that just got started.

He ran through the forest as fast as he could to get to the ancient well but he knew the real reason for hurrying was to get away from a certain monk.

'Sorry Miroku but I'm not gonna let you or anyone else control me.' He mentally declared. 'Especially not to be used.'

______________

Kagome had been dragged to the gangs favorite after school hang out, the WacDonalds, despite her best attempts to get out of it.

"You don't have to treat me to anything really, I'm fine you guys."

"Oh come on Kagome, we haven't seen you in so long." Yuka pleaded.

"Besides we always come here when you need to talk."

"And its been so obvious all through school that something's been bugging you." Eri finished off her crimpy haired friends sentence.

"Oooh." Was the only thing Kagome could get out in defeat as they yanked her through the doors and sat down at their usual table. Yuka ordered their usual fries and drinks then put her full attention on her friend like the others had.

"Alright spill it." Eri egged the raven haired girl on.

"Ugh! There's nothing to spill, I told you guys that before. I'm just getting over a cold is all."

"Aha!" An excited Eri pointed a finger at her. "Now we know its good because you had stomach flu remember?, Not a cold."

"Yeah so come on." The very short cut brunette whined a bit. Their order was brought to the table and the girls busily munched french fries waiting for Kagome to speak.

Having been cornered with no other excuses Kagome resigned herself to tell the truth, in her own discrete way of course. "Fine," She took in a breath of air before speaking. "you know that guy I've been kinda seeing, even though he's not my boyfriend?" She asked wearily.

"Yeah yeah, the mean, over protective, two-timing gangster type." Eri cleared up, not having liked this so called boyfriend from day one, she expressed her opinion of him strongly.

"What's he done this time?" Ayumi asked, almost hoping Kagome would say something positive instead of her usual bad news about the said boy.

"He's seeing someone else." Kagome spoke with a deflated tone. Like a balloon that's just had the air let out of it. All three girls gasped.

"Again!" Eri stood slamming her hands on the table top. "Typical." She crossed her arms and sat back down.

"Yeah but the person he's with this time is a friend of mine."

Again the girls gasped even louder getting the attention of others in the restaurant. "No way!"

'Oh boy I'm getting in this whole thing way too deep.' She warned herself and tried to get out of telling her best friends anymore. "Well now you know, so let's just eat up and forget all about it, nothing we can do about it. Boy after that nasty stomach flu I'm really hungry." She began throwing french fries in her mouth but Yuka grabed her hand midway.

"No way! You have to tell us everything right now."

"Yeah you're hurting and talking helps." Ayumi added sympathetically.

"Well... the real problem is," She glanced at the anxious but concerned faces crowding her in. "The person he's seeing is... another guy."

Shocked and horrified expressions met Kagome at every turn. 'Now you've done it Kagome, ever hear of lying?' She mentally scolded herself.

"Wow." Was the only word uttered by her short brown haired friend, Yuka, as she came back from being momentarily frozen in time.

"Poor Kagome." Ayumi offered up another bit of sympathy.

"But I thought he was into girls ya know, and what about that other woman he was two-timing you with before?" Eri demanded to know.

"Yeah. I mean being cheated on with another girl is one thing but a man." Yuka added.

"Aaand someone you know." The curly haired Ayumi threw in.

"I don't know," Kagome played absent-mindedly with the straw in her soda cup. "it all happened so suddenly I didn't know how to react, so I ran away." She confessed.

"Ugh and that jerk had the nerve to tell you about it?" Eri asked in complete disbelief.

"Well no, I kinda found out by accident. I haven't seen either one of them for awhile since then."

A silence fell between the group as they all processed what had just been said. The silence didn't last long though, broken by the loudest of the three girls. Eri slammed her hands on the little white table, a second time, causing their drinks to shake. "That's it!"

"Geez, calm down would ya." Yuka warned, holding onto her shaken cup.

But the hyperactive girl went on as if she hadn't heard. "Kagome there's only one thing for you to do now. Go to this guy tell him what you know and put an end to whatever odd relationship the two of you had before, for good this time."

"Yeah."

"Makes sense." The other two agreed.

"And besides," Yuka went on. "there's always Hojo waiting for you."

"Oh but he can never know about this, it'd crush his heart." Eri said sitting back down and regaining herself.

"Two bad he can't know maybe he could give this thug a piece of his mind."

"No way, from what we know this creep could probably take Hojo easily."

Kagome was lost in her own world, not hearing a word of her friends, subject changed, chatting. She stood gathering her things, thanking them absent-mindely for everything with a dry voice and left the restaurant before they could stop her.

"Should we go after her?" Asked Yuka.

"Probably not, but I hope she'll be o.k." Ayumi replied.

"If she does what I told her she will be."

On the way home Kagome thought about what her friends had said to her. 'Inuyasha's not a jerk- well not always but they are right about one thing. I have to tell him and find out what's going on or the secret will eat me alive. I guess whatever feelings I thought he had for me, or even Kikyo for that matter are all gone. And what about Miroku, how does he fit in to all this? He's the biggest filanderer I know.'

She stared solemnly down at her shadow cast in front of her from the setting orange sun behind. "And to think I was falling for the guy." She smacked a comical hand to her head but instantly became serious. "Boy is my face red."

...........

Inuyasha sat impatiently at Kagome's family's kitchen table. His arms crossed and head down, expression showing concentrated annoyance. It might be from the long waiting he's been doing for Kagome, or the thoughts running through his mind about Miroku. Perhaps its just the fact that little brother Souta has been staring at him since he got home from school and found out the hanyou was there. Growling inwardly he thought, 'Doesn't this kid have anything better to do, like some of that homework Kagome mentioned once.' He peeked an eye open and sure enough the kid was still staring quietly, sucking on a red rope that Inuyasha assumed to be that candy Shippou liked so much. Not being able to take it anymore he finally snapped. "You got somethin' to say or not?!"

Souta jumped just slightly from start but immediately calmed himself. "I was just wondering what's on your mind that's all." The boy spoke removing his candy long enough to do so.

"Well its none of your business, so scram." Was the dog demons retort.

"You and Kagome fighting again? I bet she started it, she always does." Souta added absently to himself.

"No we ain't fightin', atleast I don't think so."

"Then what's got you so worked up? You've been sitting here struggling with something forever."

"Eh what do you know?" Inuyasha turned up his nose looking away from the kid.

"I can tell by the faces you're making and you've been mumbling bitterly about something since I came in."

"And like I said, kid, its none of your business. Where the hell is Kagome anyway?"

"Inuyasha, please watch your words around Souta." Ms. Higurashi spoke suddenly from nowhere. "You know how impressionable he is with you."

Sinking further into his seat, head down he mumbled a quiet 'yeah yeah' getting an unseen smile from the woman. "It is odd for Kagome to be out so late, I hope she's alright," Her mother wondered. "School let out over an hour ago." She added staring out of the kitchen window.

"Maybe I should go look for her." Inuyasha suggested already getting out of his seat.

"Aah she's probably just out with her goofy friends again, gossiping and stuff." Souta said leaving the table himself no longer interested in this conversation.

"Friends! Doesn't she know we've got work to do and she's been hangin' out here with these friends the whole time." Leaving the kitchen the hanyou announced he was going to go look for the girl and on his way out the door he bumped right into said person. Both stumbled back but managed not to fall.

"Inuyasha!" The girl gasped.

"Kagome," The half demon seemed just as surprised as she was but quickly replaced that with anger. "Where the hell have you been?" Stepping aside he let her completely into the home.

"Where do you think?, at school, and what are you doing here?" She spoke while moving about trying to avoid eye contact with the boy. First she headed to the kitchen announcing her arrival, if anyone didn't already know. Then she ran straight upstairs to her room.

"I came here to bring you back, why else would I be here." Inuyasha answered following suit up the stairs. However, before he could get in the room with her, the door was closed in his face. "Hey!"

"Can't I change in privacy, sheesh!" Inside the room Kagome had slumped down to the floor staring wide eyed out the window. 'What's he doing here now? I was all ready to head back to the feudal era tomorrow and talk to Inuyasha about everything and now he's thrown me completely off! Ugh that's so typical of him.' She exaggerated with hands thrown up in the air.

Grumbling Inuyasha waited patiently outside the door. "You about done in there?" He hollered through.

"Yeah come in." Kagome opened the door and quickly retreated to her bed to sit down. She began digging school books out of her bag as a distraction.

"What's the deal Kagome," The white haired boy spoke in a soft but serious tone. "You've been actin' strange for a while now, First back at the hot springs, then you run home without a word about why, and tell me you'll be back in three or so days but you never came, now this. So what is it?"

Kagome turned her head away from Inuyasha trying hard to fight the oncoming tears but Inuyasha already noticed the somber expression on her face. So he moved closer to try and see. "Kagome?"

"Its you alright!"

"Huh?"

"I was running away from you.... and Miroku."

Something inside paralyzed the dog-eared demon from approaching any further. With a suddenly dry throat he tried to get an explination. "W- what do you mean, you're running away from us?"

"Its okay Inuyasha, you don't have to play ignorant, I know..." She finally turned to face him. "I saw you and Miroku that night at the hot spring," Inuyasha's face went a ghostly white. "Well I didn't exactly see you but it doesn't take a genius to figure out what was going on. I'm sorry, I didn't mean to spy, I mean I wasn't spying I just forgot my backpack and when I went back for it there you were and then I ran."

The hanyou dropped down to the floor, much like Kagome had earlier, letting it all sink in. 'She knew, all this time, damnit Miroku I knew this wasn't gonna work.'

"Say something Inuyasha. You're freaking me out."

"I, I don't know what to say, we- It wasn't meant to hurt anyone."

"Well were you ever going to tell me, or any of us for that matter?" She asked letting the held back tears fall freely, even though she wasn't really crying.

"Yeah eventually, I think- I mean- Miroku said- well we both thought it'd be better if no one knew because we didn't know how you'd handle it, alright."

"Makes enough sense but how- how did this happen, I thought.. you know," Her words trailed off uncomfortably. 'What am I doing. I can't tell Inuyasha I thought he had a thing for me, that's so desperate.'

"I don't know how to explain it Kagome, it just happened. Ask Miroku, he seems to know everything."

"You mean he came to you first?"

"Yeah I guess and even if he's been pissin' me off lately, I still..." The dog demon trailed off seeing Kagome go quiet again.

"You really wanna be with him?" Kagome offered the words that Inuyasha was clearly uncomfortable saying. "And you like him, right?"

"Yeah, so can we just forget all this and go back now. I'm sorry if you're upset about it but we didn't know what else to do."

'It seems like he really does care for Miroku, oddly enough, and atleast he's opening up to me about it now. Besides he already told me how he feels about me, so why should I spoil their happiness just because of a stupid school girl crush. And better Miroku than Kikyo right?'

Coming to the realization that this relationship was going to continue whether she liked it or not Kagome accepted it. "Don't worry about it Inuyasha." A small smile formed on her tiny lips.

"You mean you're ok with this?"

"Mhm. I'm just really glad you told me, even if I already knew. It means alot to me and I'm sure the others will be fine too, whenever you decide to tell them."

"You mean you're not gonna say anything?"

"Nope, you obviously had a reason for keeping it secret and I'm gonna respect that. Its your decision." An akward silence fell over the room interrupted by Souta banging on the door.

"Kagome! Inuyasha! dinner is almost ready, mom says to wash up and come down." His footsteps were heard retreating away right after.

"Think you can stay for dinner?" Kagome asked getting back her old self.

"Why not but we're leaving right after."

They both stood. "Inuyasha," Kagome stopped him on his way out the door and spoke in her usual brash controlling tone. "If you and Miroku are having problems you'd better talk to him and sort it out. I don't want to think I put myself through all this drama for nothing, just to have you two breaking up already." She pushed past him for the bathroom to wash up.

The hanyou smiled at the girls quick recovery. It was something he'd always admired about her. No matter how bad a situation, fighting demons or anything, she managed to pull through it and come out stronger.'You're probably right Kagome, if I let this problem with Miroku go on any longer things could just get worse. Damnit I'm not used to all this crap.'

............

As she promised after dinner, Kagome packed up her things, said her goodbyes and the two headed back into the old well. No words were exchanged on their way back to Kaede's to join the others but the silence was one of comfort and understanding. Just before they got close enough to the little cottage to go in, Inuyasha stopped Kagome by grabbing her arm.

"Don't worry I've already made up an excuse for why I was gone." Kagome spoke as if she'd read the half demons mind. "Don't worry about me just take care of this thing with Miroku alright?"

"Yeah sure.... and Kagome," The girl stopped midstep turning to face him. "Uh... Thanks." He mumbled looking away shyly and missing a smile from his female companion before she ran inside.

"Kagome you're back!" He heard Shippou's shrill voice from inside greeting his best friend. It didn't take too long before questions were asked and Kagome, as promised, gave them her excuse. Then Miroku appeared at the door and silently Inuyasha beckoned him to follow after him into the woods. Once they were a good distance away Inuyasha stopped but Miroku spoke first.

"Something on your mind Inuyasha?" He stood back against a tree watching his lover ready for whatever it was the dog boy had to say.

"Kagome knows."

"Huh?"

"About us, she always knew. That night we stopped at the hot springs she was, she-"

"Oh, well that's unfortunate isn't it." The monk rubbed the bottom of his chin in thought.

"Unfortunate! That's all you gotta say? All this time we've been messin' around and Kagome's known and she's been hauled up at home miserable for days. What if she didn't take it well and decided to never come back?"

Miroku stepped away from the tree approaching Inuyasha with his hands up in guard. "Calm down Inuyasha, I didn't mean it like that. I'm sorry if Kagome's been hurt about us but she knows now and from what I could tell she's all right with it, isn't she?"

"Yeah she is now."

"So what's really got you so upset then?"

Inuyasha shifted uncomfortably wondering if he really had anything left in him to deal with this right now. 'Remember what Kagome said, it really would be a waste if we went through all this for nothing.'

"Look this relationship thing its, its just not fair."

"Not fair, what do you mean?"

Inuyasha sighed. "Not too long ago I was on my own and doing my own things, I was incharge. Then Kagome came along and getting used to that was hard enough, but then it was Shippou and you and Sango and now we're... together and-"

"And you feel like you've lost control of everything?" Miroku smiled as he spoke.

"Sorta, I mean before it was always about me and now I've got others to think about. I'm just not used to it is all. And lately you've been givin' all the orders, taking over everything, tellin' me what to do and when and how to do it. And how come I'm always on the bottom?" A small laugh escaped the young monk, irritating the half demon further. "What the hells so funny?!" He barked.

"I'm sorry Inuyasha you're just so cute when you get like this."

"That's another thing, you're not even taking me seriously." The hanyou began whining.

"No, no I am taking it seriously, honestly. But Inuyasha you've been on top plenty of times before if I'm recalling right."

"Yeah only after we've already done it and you were on top first and this isn't just about gettin' off!"

"I see, well I'll try harder not to over power you so much, I apologize if my actions offended you. It was never meant to." Miroku closed the space between the two grabbing both Inuyasha's hands. "Listen Inuyasha and listen good," He stared straight into the golden orbs in front of him to make sure the other was listening. "I'm not trying to dominate you or control your life. You're free to do what you want whenever you want. Just know that I do love you and its not just some game for me. I may be a flirt and a little amorous but that doesn't mean I don't care or love you the way two people in a relationship should. This partnership of ours is on equal terms, got it?" Inuyasha stood dumbfounded for a moment but then nodded. "Good." He smiled again.

"You think I'm an idiot don't you?" Inuyasha freed his hands from Miroku's grasp.

"Not at all. I'm just happy because- well the whole time you were gone I was thinking the worse. Worried that maybe you didn't want to be with me anymore. Or you were realising your true feelings were for someone else."

"Yeah, you thought that?"

"Basic lovers insecurities I guess."

"Just like I thought you were just using me for sex."

"Exactly, which I'm not. So neither of us is any more a fool than the other. All better now?"

"Yeah.. but what about the others, Sango and Shippou? Kagome said she wouldn't tell them."

Miroku sighed. "Well we could tell them now or wait for a better time. I see no point in rushing."

"Alright then but if this blows up in our faces again the blames all on you."

"Deal. Now lets head back. Its been a long day and I'm assuming with Kagome's return we'll be heading after Naraku again."

"Yeah." Both men walked closely side by side, Miroku's arm snaked its way around Inuyasha's waist, causing the hanyou to blush a little.

"You know you still owe me for this morning. I don't really like to be cut off." That same arm around his waist found its way further down the half demons torso.

"Damn horny monk, can't it wait."

"Alright when the others are asleep then? Unless you don't want to."

"I never said that, I just didn't want you bossin' me around again. We'll do it on my terms."

Miroku laughed. "Oh and when will that be?" He got his answer by being pushed down to the ground and straddled by the power driven demon.

"Right now."
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End Chapter, there will be more in the future near or far